In a country heavily plagued by Taco Bells and Chipotles, it can be difficult to find good, authentic Mexican cuisine. But if you’re in the Madison area and are looking for a bite, look no further…Tacos El Capi is here.
While the underclassmen of SHS were stuck taking the Pre-ACT, Norse Starians Miles Heritsch, Naomi Matthiesen, Travis Ryan, and Marah Kostlevy ventured to the small building wedged between a few other stores in a strip-mall type setup. It may look unassuming, but it’s much more than you’d expect on the inside.
After walking through the door and being impressed by the numerous decorations, cheerful music, and fun atmosphere, the Starians placed their orders. Heritsch decided on the fish taco entre with horchata, Mattheisen got the chicken quesadillas, Kostlevy ordered the elote, while Ryan stuck with a Minute Maid fruit punch.
They were all impressed with their meals. The fish tacos were perfectly battered and seasoned with two sauces and some rice and beans on the side for balance. The horchata was a perfect amount of sweet without being too overwhelming.
Mattheisen appreciated her meal despite the fact that she doesn’t “really like Mexican food.”
“But that’s a good thing, because they have a wide variety of items on the menu that even I, a picky eater, could find some love for,” Mattheisen said.
Kostlevy rated his food a solid 5/5 and reminisced on the first time he went to the restaurant, saying he knew he had to come back as soon as he tried it the first time.
Ryan, however, was less impressed with his Minute Maid fruit punch.
“This is 56% of my added sugars. Okay, I don’t like the fruit punch,” Ryan said.
While the food was amazing, the group unanimously decided that their favorite part about the restaurant was “the vibes.” The place was heavily decorated and vibrant, and felt extremely welcoming. The staff was also very friendly.
“It did not feel like I was being judged for not being able to speak fluent Spanish,” Mattheisen said.
The only thing the group found less than ideal about the restaurant was the big TV playing the news channel.
“And they just have a TV [with] news right there. It would make more sense if it was sports or something. It kind of seems out of place and it distresses me,” Mattheisen said.
However, Heritsch commented, as a frequent visitor of the restaurant, the TV does usually play sports. So the likelihood of a customer going into the restaurant on a depressing news day seems slim, but apparently not impossible.
There may also be an issue with the size of groups one would like to bring to the restaurant—as an unfortunate side effect of the place’s cozy atmosphere, only one table can accommodate 4 people, with the rest being built for 2.
“Well, if all your friends are really skinny you could probably fit 4 [at the booth tables],” Kostlevy said.
All in all, the restaurant is almost perfect. It’s a hidden gem with a definite family-owned feel and arguably some of the best Mexican food on the Madison East side.
